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Surprise and Delight as U.S. and Mexico Trade Places

Mexico Coach Jose Manuel de la Torre cannot get his team's attack pointed in the right direction.Credit
Christian Palma/Associated Press

SEATTLE — In one stadium, there was boastful singing, a jubilant atmosphere and two pretty goals. In the other, there was angry chanting, ugly behavior and an ever-growing frustration about the zero on the scoreboard that never seems to go away.

It was a strange soccer prism in North America on Tuesday night as long-established roles and identities were turned upside down. In Mexico, at the famed Estadio Azteca, El Tri was the target of fans who were enraged about their players’ collective impotency, while here, at raucous CenturyLink Field, the United States national team breezed to victory amid giddiness and glory.

It was not supposed to be this way, was it? Mexico is the dominant team. Mexico is the continental juggernaut. Mexico is the team filled with young talent and loaded with potential. At the Olympics, where teams field rosters mostly filled with players under 23 years old, the Mexicans stunned Brazil at the London Games to win the gold medal while the United States did not qualify for the tournament. The future, everyone said then, was blindingly bright for Mexico.

And maybe it still is. There are a handful of games left in the so-called hexagonal tournament, plenty of time for fortunes to change. But for the moment, at least, it is difficult to comprehend the role reversal that has taken place among the two rivals’ senior teams. After Tuesday’s results, when the United States beat Panama, 2-0, and Mexico played a lackluster scoreless tie with Costa Rica, the United States is in first place in the six-team qualifying group, 2 points ahead of Mexico despite having played one fewer game.

While the United States looks to be progressing into a slick rhythm — it has scored eight goals in its last three games (one was a friendly) — Mexico seems stunted, struggling to produce three goals in six qualifiers and, perhaps more surprisingly, often appearing to be outplayed. On Tuesday, it was dominated by Costa Rica for several stretches of the game, drawing outrage from fed-up fans at Azteca.

Goalkeeper Tim Howard agreed, saying, “I’m a little bit surprised, absolutely,” by the Mexicans’ 1-0-5 record. “You expect that we’re going to win and they’re going to win, and it hasn’t been the case. We definitely see it.”

Howard paused for a moment, then smiled as he added that he had little sympathy. “I’m surprised, but I don’t really care,” he said.

Part of Howard’s sentiment is surely the knowledge that Mexico will almost certainly rise again. But there is also a sense of encouraging self-evaluation from the American players, who are beginning to see the benefits of Coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s tactical style.

Again, it must be said: a win over Panama at home is hardly an overarching measuring stick. Yet it is hard to argue that the United States is producing more quality soccer on a consistent basis, showing a slickness on the field that portends positivity as the United States moves toward next summer’s World Cup in Brazil.

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The rise of Jozy Altidore, previously an offensive enigma, has been a critical development for Klinsmann (who was a star striker during his playing career), and the depth that Klinsmann has preached as being so important is beginning to show itself. Geoff Cameron and Eddie Johnson stepped in with important contributions as temporary starters Tuesday, and Graham Zusi has done more than simply fill in for Landon Donovan in the United States midfield; rather, Zusi’s play has made the question of when Donovan will return to the team far less pressing.

With that upbeat backdrop, Klinsmann gave his players a welcomed day off Wednesday before the team headed to suburban Salt Lake City for next week’s match against Honduras. Mexico, on the other hand, flew overnight to Brazil for the Confederations Cup and what figures to be yet another round of questions regarding the status of Coach José Manuel de la Torre.

Chepo, as the coach is known, was excoriated at Azteca on Tuesday, with fans calling for his ouster over and over. The Mexican attack has been wholly ineffective, de la Torre has vacillated among different formations and, if not for the play of goalkeeper José de Jesús Corona, the team would most likely be in even worse shape.

At a news conference after Tuesday’s draw, de la Torre answered sharp questions, trying gamely to deflect criticism as the team prepared to travel to Brazil.

“I think the fans have every right to say things,” he told reporters, adding that he had not given any thought to resigning. “Never. I prepare every day to win, not to stay on the sidelines.”

Nonetheless, an early exit from the Confederations Cup would increase the pressure on de la Torre as Mexico heads into the crucible of the last stage of World Cup qualifying beginning early in September. Generally, 16 points is seen as the benchmark for earning one of the three automatic World Cup spots available in the hexagonal, meaning Mexico would need to earn 8 points from its final four games, two of which are on the road.

The United States, meanwhile, has 10 points with five games to go, three of which are at home, including one against Mexico, in Columbus, Ohio, on Sept. 10. When qualifying schedules were initially released months ago, that game was seen by many as potentially critical, a difficult match late in the tournament that could swing a team’s fortunes one way or the other.

As it turns out, that well may be the case. For Mexico.

A version of this article appears in print on June 14, 2013, on Page B15 of the New York edition with the headline: Surprise and Delight as U.S. and Mexico Trade Places. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe